Jacob Trouba’s unique physical gift is back for Rangers — at just the right time

Regarding the Rangers, who indeed get the Panthers for Game 7 at the Garden on Thursday: 

1. Oh, Game 7 of the 2024-25 regular season and not Game 7 of the 2024 Eastern final. The Blueshirts have beaten up on suspect teams through this 5-0-1 getaway in which they have flaunted their talent while still relying too often on Igor Shesterkin’s brilliance. 

This one should carry some emotion with it. This is a challenge whose significance should not be overstated on either side of the ledger. 

Remember, after losing in six to Tampa Bay in the 2022 conference final, the Blueshirts opened the 2022-23 season with a bravura performance in defeating the Lightning at the Garden. Its significance became null and void when the club spun into months of mediocrity following this one shining moment. 

2. But Jacob Trouba’s anachronistic hit that destroyed Justin Barron as the Habs winger came carefree into the zone 7:11 into the third period of the Blueshirts’ 7-2 victory in Montreal on Tuesday — and raised temperatures to a fever pitch across the Internet universe — served as a reminder to the Cup champ Puddy Tats that there is always menace lurking on the Rangers blue line. 

And this time not operating on a damaged ankle.